Safety plug and bypass



Feb. 24, 1942.

w. D. oslaoRNA SAFETY PLUG AND BYPASS Filed Feb. 19, y1940 W24/MAZ? Oso/V.

Patented Feb. 24, 1942 l 'v UNITED [OFFICE l l m ,ramasse-t s SAFETY rLUsfA-NDFYPASSU a William DI. Osh-draus Angeles, oeuf. v Application February19, 19.40, Serial No. 319,654

iclaim,` (c1. isssm My invention relates to a safety-,plug and by,- pass particularly adapted for use in sewers, waste water lines, sewer connections, and,v the like, while the same are being cleaned ,and/0r while obstructions or sediment are-being removed:v in

order that the sewers, lines, and conduits, may

ter Areferred to which after being inserted ina sewer, waste water line, or other conduit, may

be expanded by means of air under pressure s0 as to provide a fluid pressure `tight jointbetween the plug and the inner surface of the conduit in which it is positioned, furthergto provide the plug 1 with a tube that extends entirely through said plug and the ends of the tube being provided with standard fittings in order that it may be connected to a source of Water under pressure, for instance, a conventional fire protection hydrant and further, to provide a plug and by-pass that is relatively simple, strong and durable in construction and capable of being readily positioned within a conduit for use and likewise ycapable of being readily removed from the conduit after the inated portion of the plug has been partially deflated.

A further object of my invention is, to provide an improved safety plug and by-pass that includes a non-collapsible tube surrounded by an inflatable flexible member and the Wall of which latter is provided on its external face with reinforcing bands disposed both longitudinally and circumferentially of said inflatable body.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more lfully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a Vertical section taken through the center of a manhole with a sewer connection and showing my improved plug positioned in said sewer connection and said plug being connected ment of my invention, I0 designates a tube pref- Cal erably formed of rubber or rubberland fabric and formed integral with the central portion ofl said tube on the-exterior'thereofis a wall. I I. substantially ellipsoidal in'shape and composed ofl flexible material, such as rubber or rubberreinforced with. fabric. Thus a chamber I2\ is` provided around the central portion'of the tube `I Il` and which chamber is adapted to be filled withair under pressure in order to iniiateand expand the-wall I I. Y, One end 0f a small flexible tube I3, preferably of rubber, is connected to one end of the wall Il so as to deliver air under pressure into chamber I2 and carried by the other end of this tube isa conventional air pump IllIof the type usedfor inilating pneumatictube's and the like. Located in tube I`3 adjacent the pump I 4- is `a fitting I5 provided with an inwardly opening check valve, the stem IS of whichextends outwardly from the fitting so that said check valve may be readily manipulated to permit the release of air from chamber I2 through tube I3 when it is desired to deflate the plug.

, Formed integral with the central portion of the wall Il on the external face thereof is a reinforcing rib or band I'I, preferably of rubber,

and disposed between this reinforcing band and the ends of the wall I I are longitudinally disposed bands or reinforcing ribs I8 of rubber (see Fig. 3).

These bands or ribs I'Ik and I8 afford reinforcement for the flexible wall II and the circumferential band I'I insures the provision of a fluid pressure tight joint between the plug and the inner surface of the tube or conduit in which the plug is positioned.

Secured in any suitable manner to one end of tube I0 is one part of a conventional hose coupling that includes an internally threaded rotating collar I9 that is adapted to receive the externally threaded end portion of a companion coupling member 20 and which latter is secured on the end of a flexible tube 2l, such as an ordinary re hose. Carried by the other endof the hose 2l is a conventional coupling member 22 by means of which the hose may be readily connected to a i'lre hydrant H.

Mounted on the opposite end of tube l0 is a coupling member 23 having an external thread that is adapted to be seated in a companion coupling member having an internal thread or, when it is desired to cut off passage of fluid through the plug a conventional screw cap 24 may be mountedon the threaded end of member 23.

A tube 25 of thin metal is snugly arranged within the tube I for the purpose of preventing the collapse of said tube when air pressure is pumped into the chamber I2 to inate member II.

The ends of this tube 25 are spaced apart from the coupling members I9 and 23 that are secured on the ends of tube I0 in order to provide short tubular sections Ia between said coupling members and the inflatable central portion of the device and which short tubular portions provide a certain degree of flexibility between the inflatable central portion and the ends of the device and consequently minimize tendency of cracking of the end portions of the tube as a result of bending strains developed while the plug is in service.

In the use of my improved plug and by-pass, the plug with the central portion deated is inserted in the sewer or duct that is to be cleaned and by manipulation of the pump I4 air under pressure is delivered into chamber I2, thereby applying internal pressure to wall I I and forcing the portion of greatest diameter thereof into intimate contact with the inner surface of the sewer pipe or conduit.

Water under pressure, for instance, from a re hydrant is now permitted to flow through hose 2| and this water will flow through tube I0 which is maintained in full open position by the tube 25 and such water will discharge with force into the sewer or conduit to remove and wash all sediment and accumulations therefrom.

If desired, a length of hose similar to 2| may be attached to coupling member 23 and extended a substantial distance through the sewer or duct away from the plug in order to facilitate the cleaning and flushing operations.

To relieve the pressure in chamber I2 so as to permit the plug to collapse and be removed from the sewer or duct, it is only necessary to manipulate relief valve stem I6 to permit the escape of compressed air from the chamber I2.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a safety plug and by-pass particularly intended for use in sewer cleaning and flushing operations and which plug is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and Very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The plug manufactured in smaller sizes is particularly applicable for use in the cleaning and flushing of drain pipes that lead from sinks, wash basins, and lavatories, to sewers or other waste conduits.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved safety plug and by-pass, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the sprit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a safety plug and by-pass, a flexible tube, a collapsible wall surrounding the central portion of said tube and connected thereto so as to provide a chamber, a rigid tube arranged within that portion of the flexible tube that is surrounded by said collapsible wall, means connected to and extending through said wall for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber between said tube and wall, and coupling members mounted on the ends of said flexible tube beyond the ends of said rigid tube.

WILLIAM D. OSBORN. 

